White Plastic Chairs, Women, Feminisms and Sitting-In: Some Initial Thoughts on ASSITTATIVI
Feminism, -isms and why we need even more of them
There are probably as many definitions of Feminism as there are Feminists. This makes it really hard to grasp this term most of the time. But to be bold, they all unite a pretty straight forward goal: the equality of sexes. In any sense from political, over social to economic equality. Equality as a goal tells about the current: gender inequality. Women take the part of the oppressed majority in this story. This is brutally obvious when looking at sexual violence against women. The gang-rape of a young women in Delhi in 2012 raised awareness and initiated a wave of protest for female security. Apart from sexual violence — that exists in Europe to no a minor extend — we must also look into economic, societal and power inequalities. This might be best exemplified in the gender pay gap, the relative difference in the average gross earnings of women and men. Even though Feminisms aims for gender equality, it does not deny the existence of gender based differences. On the contrary, Feminism does first and foremost acknowledge gender. To acknowledge something means also to be aware, to understand and to see. Seeing a political system that is based on a patriarchal power structure. Seeing economics, that are driven by maximized profit, personal benefit and infinite growth. Seeing the earth, that has become an extractable commodity. This system is obviously not only harmful for women, but also for men. Toxic masculinity might be the best buzzword describing the narrow and repressive ideas about the “real man” compiled of traits like being violent, unemotional and sexually aggressive. Feminism proposes a more sharing and value driven world based on care, collaboration and love.
However, Feminism is an -ism. -isms are crucial to put forward a social debate, to provoke, to cause friction. But -isms also lead to misunderstanding, frustration and exclusion. In order to put this -ism in the right direction — the direction towards a world built on love — we must make this -ism our’s. And I mean our’s in the most universal sense possible. Old, young, black, white, blue, transgender, queer, dogs, plants, women and — men — we should all be feminists. By making this Feminism our’s, we create a plural and more resilient Feminism, which is much needed for the challenges of the 21st century: social inequality, digital monopoly, rising nationalism, ecological degradation and climate change.
Palermo‘s Nonnos in white plastic chairs, other worries and (no) Feminists
In the streets of Palermo wandering tourists find pictorial scenes of Sicilian elderly men sitting in white plastic chairs, playing cards, drinking beer or simply sitting. Charming, iconic and constitutive.
“I’m not a Feminist,” they say when topics like Feminism or gender roles are raised over a glass of beer in one of Palermo’s bars. “I’m not against men,” or “I’m just for all humans should be equal,” and “I’m not offended when someone means with ragazzi women and men,” because “we have other things to worry about here.” They say. They say that not only among the normal, the majority or the blueprint citizen. They say this within the very tiny bubble of young, well educated, political active and progressive Sicilian women open to the world.
These women — that are to me one of the most impressive and strongest women that I had the chance to meet so far — now then, are no Feminists. They do look back on a powerful history of women of their country with Carla Lonzi, Rosa Balistreri and Franca Rame in their rows. Today there are surely a wide range of activities, groups and initiatives going on next to the Women’s Empowerment Workshop in this vivid and spirited city of Palermo. But where are you? On the contradictory relationship of Feminism and Italy, reflects Guia Soncini in her article The Failure of Italian Feminism in the New York Times. About the competitive female culture of her country and why “we are not having those discussions.”
ASSITTATIVI. No more, no less.
So what are we actually doing? Sitting. Simple as it is. Sitting together in the streets of Palermo — in white plastic chairs — and talking about Feminism. The female Sit-Ins are a starting point to foster a conversation about feminism, gender and women. Though, initiated by women, they are an open invitation welcoming everyone to the conversation. This conversation strives not to find answers to complex problems, but to start asking the right questions: What does Feminism mean to my identity and my societal belonging? What are the real world scenarios we face when it comes to gender? Who decides if a skirt is too short? How do we want to raise our children? How is Feminism interconnected with other pressing issues? What are alternative narratives to the white-man-bashing? What are the right questions?
Sit-ins as peaceful activism have a long history from the civil rights movement, over early feminism to environmentalists. Most recently this form of activism was brought to new life in India. Under the #meettosleep girls and women gather in parks to take a nap. With this simple act women turn their fear based relationship with public space into a new narrative based on defenseless trust reclaiming it. Palermo already transformed it’s Palazzo Sant’Elia on April, 8th into a Sit-in action. Le sedie di Palermo al contrario reclaimed chairs that are mostly associated with prostitution or inefficiency of waste management. In this fashion, the Feminist Sit-ins aim to contribute to this entering the conversation.
ASSITTATIVI is an open invitation to question, debate and imagine about women, gender and feminism.
This initiative is an experiment started by PUSHers. PUSH is a design lab for social innovation. Using a human-centered approach we develop solutions to improve the quality of life in cities and to protect the environment.
